Day 5: The Dagger in the Awestruck Heart
Scripture Focus:
"Then the man said, 'The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree . . .'"
—Genesis 3:12
A Call to Take Responsibility
Somewhere along life’s road, Old Friend, you adopted one of the oldest defense mechanisms known to man—the Adamic Defense Mechanism.
I call it “the Dagger in the Awestruck Heart.”
A dagger is driven into the Awestruck Heart whenever, instead of facing a difficult or painful situation head-on—seeking wisdom, comfort, forgiveness, and help from the King—we choose to assign blame and accuse others.
Adam started this pattern in the Garden.
Rather than taking responsibility, he pointed the finger at Chava.
And since that moment, humanity has been doing the same.
Each time we do it, another dagger plunges into the Awestruck Heart.
But Chava—and every "whoever" we have blamed in our lives—have their own matters to resolve before the King. Their actions are between them and Him.
When we encounter painful situations, the King’s first question is never:
"Who is to blame?"
That question belongs only to those who have been eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Instead, the King’s first question is:
"How will each person respond?"
A person’s response to adversity reveals the true state of their soul.
And that, in turn, determines the second question:
"How can we ensure that good comes from this?"
A Moment of Reflection
Look back on a difficult or painful moment in your life.
Think of a time when you felt:
- Frightened
- Hurt
- Wounded
- Embarrassed
- Betrayed
- Trapped
- Ashamed
How did you respond?
- Did you face the situation head-on—bringing it immediately before the King for wisdom, comfort, forgiveness, and help?
- Or did you, like Adam, plunge a dagger into the Awestruck Heart by placing blame?
Prayer for the Journey
O Great King,
Please forgive me for responding to painful situations
by blaming others.
Teach me Your ways!
Make me an agent of healing,
not an agent of accusation.
Awestruck Heart Challenge #5
Assess who—or what—you are blaming
for getting off track and preventing you from becoming
all you were created to be.
Awestruck Heart Exercise #5
- Read & Meditate:
- Genesis 20:1-11
- Genesis 30:1-2
- Personal Reflection:
- Identify three events in your life that you wish had not occurred or that should not have been as destructive as they were.
- At least one event should involve someone else acting badly.
- At least one event should involve you responding poorly.
- Read & Meditate:
- Genesis 45:1-8
- Ask the King:
- Who are the people I consciously or subconsciously think of as having wronged me?
- What events or circumstances do I blame for setting me back or making my life more difficult?
- What were You doing and thinking, Great King, when You allowed those difficult things to happen?
- How could I have handled those situations more effectively in light of Your wisdom?
Final Reflection
Blame is a dagger.
It does not wound the ones we accuse—it wounds our own souls.
The King is inviting you to release the dagger and walk in healing.
Will you accept His invitation?